How to Fix Phone Camera Not Working and Buzzing Sound

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2021-10-24
Carl Paige

Imagine your phone camera stops working and buzzing noise while you’re about to take some beautiful shots. You’ll feel your smart piece of tech just let you down. But no, it’s an unpopular camera problem that you can fix. And that leads us to how to fix the phone camera not working and buzzing sound.

Here, we’ll guide you on how to fix a smartphone camera making noise, producing blurry pictures, having a hard time focusing, and maybe not working at all.

How to fix the phone camera focus not working and buzzing sound

Although not very common in most modern phones, the camera focus problem and buzzing noise are just some of the annoying issues you may encounter in your phone’s camera. It wouldn’t have been annoying if it just made noise and let you take your picture in peace. When it does, the camera won’t focus and will keep blurring pictures when taken.

That shouldn’t be an issue, however. Here are various solutions on how to fix the phone camera not working and buzzing sound.

1. Install latest updates

The rear camera making noise and not focusing was a popular issue that plagued some iPhone 6xx users. But thankfully, many of them reported the problem got fixed after updating to the latest OS.

So, as far as it goes, the first tip in learning how to fix a phone camera not working and buzzing sound is to ensure you’re running the latest software. If you’re not sure, visit the System Updates section on your phone to do so.

2. Tap the camera module

If your phone camera vibrates or makes noise, another thing you should do is tap the camera module several times. In a sequel to the system update, many users said their phone camera stopped buzzing sound and regained focus after tapping the camera module. Tapping the camera module sort of repositioned the lens, which fixed the issue.

And while that doesn’t guarantee it would fix your phone’s camera problem, it’s worth trying. Here’s how:

  • Exit the Camera app and hold your phone, making its screen rest on your palm.
  • Now, tap the camera module with your finger.
  • Tap it hard, but gently in a way that fixes the issue and doesn’t affect your phone.

3. Bring a magnet close to the camera

If you’re still not able to fix the camera buzzing sound and not focusing on your phone by now, you may need to take it a step further and try a more technical fix. Besides updating the system and tapping the camera module, you can use a magnet to snap back the camera into its position. For many people, that solved the problem totally and could work for you as well.

  • Get a small magnet wherever you can.
  • Hold the magnet close to the rear camera module for a second, then remove it.

That’s how to fix a phone camera not working and the buzzing sound on your smartphone. Your phone camera should stop shaking and regain its Auto-Focus capability by now.

However, the three fixes mentioned above might not work, or only serve as a temporary fix for some users. If that’s your case, the camera hardware is probably faulty. And as far as it goes, replacing the camera module is the last resort.

How to replace the camera module

After all, the camera focus not working and the buzzing sound seems to be a hardware problem that requires you to replace the camera module. Most times, it happens after dropping the phone; and sometimes, it’s just a factory defect. In whichever way the problem occurs, you need to see a technician to replace the camera module.

If your phone is still under warranty, you may be able to fix it for free at your brand’s official store. And if not, we still recommend you visit the official repair center to get it fixed. The technician would access the camera problem and find the right solution to it, usually by replacing the camera module.

Trying to replace the camera module by yourself could lead to further damage and loss of warranty, and we by no means recommend that.

What to do if the camera is not focusing

For a smartphone camera focus not working, it’s usually a hardware problem—perhaps the lens is dirty, faulty, or it's just the same as the buzzing sound problem mentioned earlier. And sometimes, too, it could be a software issue you can fix by restarting your phone or updating the operating system.

If your phone camera is only having a hard time focusing but not making a weird noise, that’s probably because the lens is dirty. A quick way to notice that is when it produces blurry pictures/videos or when it doesn’t focus on the right subject.

If that’s it, you may only need to clean the camera lens, then start again:

  • Exit the Camera app
  • Get a soft, clean cloth – preferably a fiber cloth.
  • Gently use the cloth to wipe the camera glass to ensure it’s clean.
  • Now open the Camera app to see if it’ll focus well.

Your phone camera should focus accurately now. If not, we recommend you turn off your phone and wait for a few minutes before turning it on again. That helps most times when the phone is having temporary glitches. If that still didn’t do any trick, you may want to perform a factory reset to rule out the possibility of the issue being software-related.

How to stop the phone camera from shaking

While some phones make buzzing sounds while using the camera, some don’t. But that’s not very different from when the camera is shaking. With that, any shot you take would be blurry and unusable.

To stop your phone camera from shaking, the things you can do include:

  • tapping the camera module several times with your finger,
  • bringing a magnet near the camera module,
  • updating to the latest software,
  • restarting your phone, and
  • performing a factory reset.

The same solution used in “How to fix phone camera not working and buzzing sound” would stop stabilizing your phone’s camera.

If nothing works, it’s time to visit the service center.

Wrap up

It’s just incredible how our smartphones have replaced bulky digital cameras and camcorders, making it easier to take pictures and videos anywhere without carrying around those huge gear. I think that sounds liberating until your phone camera acts strange or stops working entirely. You don’t have to worry though, as the above solutions on how to fix the phone camera not working and buzzing sound would help you out.

Unfortunately, the last resort—if nothing works—is to visit the service center. The camera focuses on not working, making noise, or vibrating is a mostly hardware-related issue, which is mostly factory defects. But thankfully, they’re what a technician can resolve.

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